[Ding! Mission issued: 1. Obtain the Mine Badge.]
[Reward: Intermediate Rare Candy ×5, permanent Steel Wing move learner ×1, top-quality Metal Coat ×1!]
[2. Use Sinnoh-region Pokémon to obtain the Mine Badge.]
[Reward: Intermediate Rare Candy ×5, Steel-type permanent move learner of choice ×1, random Pokémon item ×1.]
Looking at the missions issued by the system, Gary knew that Byron would not send out very strong Pokémon, and the Gym battle would end quickly.
"Now... Gym Leader Byron will send out his Pokémon first."
As soon as the words were spoken, Byron enthusiastically threw his Poké Ball, looking just like a baseball pitcher.
"Go, Bronzor!"
With a flash of light, a Bronzor, which looked like an ancient bronze mirror, appeared and floated in the air.
[Lv. 36 Bronzor / Gym]
"Rhyperior, I'll leave this to you." Gary tossed his Poké Ball casually.
With a flash of light, a massive Rhyperior covered in rock armor appeared.
[Lv. 62 Rhyperior / Champion]
"Oh, a Rhyperior!"
Byron was slightly surprised.
Rhyperior had the Rock typing, which meant it was weak to Steel-type moves.
When Gary had announced his challenge to the Gym that morning, he must have done some research. He should have known that Byron's Pokémon were Steel-types.
"Gary, don't you know that Rock-type Pokémon are weak to Steel-type Pokémon?" Byron asked.
"Of course I know, but Rhyperior is also a Ground-type, and Ground-type moves are super effective against Steel-types," Gary said.
"Haha, interesting! Then let's see whose Pokémon has the better advantage! Bronzor, Flash Cannon!" Byron laughed.
The surface of Bronzor emitted a silver light, and a silver beam shot out from the mirror.
"Stone Edge!" Gary countered.
Rhyperior gathered rock energy to form sharp stone blades. With a wave of its arm, it quickly launched them. The sharp stone blades pierced right through the Flash Cannon and struck Bronzor.
Clang!!
Bronzor's level was simply too low. A single stone blade was enough to knock it away, though this also caused the subsequent stone blades to miss, allowing the mirror Pokémon to luckily escape a direct follow-up hit.
However, Gary had no intention of letting Bronzor off, as he was in a hurry to get to Sunyshore City.
"Thunderbolt!"
With a command, Rhyperior launched a golden thunderbolt that fell on Bronzor with the speed of lightning, completely defeating it.
"Bronzor is unable to battle. Rhyperior wins!"
Byron was also very surprised. He hadn't expected Gary's offense to be so capable, and he hesitated for a moment.
"You really are quite the Trainer. In that case, I'll get serious too. Go, Steelix!"
Byron didn't waste any words and immediately sent out his second Pokémon.
With a flash of light, a Steelix nearly ten meters long and made of solid metal appeared.
[Lv. 46 Steelix / Gym]
Steelix's level was very high—ten levels higher than Bronzor's. It was clear that Bronzor had just been a test of the challenger's strength, and the two Pokémon following it were the main forces for the Gym battle.
However, even though Steelix was level 46, it still wasn't enough to stand against Rhyperior.
"Steelix, use Iron Tail," Byron took the initiative to attack.
"Steelix!"
Steelix moved forward, its tail coated in a layer of silver light. Relying on its massive length, it swung its tail and struck out when it was about seven meters away from Rhyperior.
"Catch Iron Tail and hold onto Steelix," Gary ordered.
"What?! You dare to take it head-on?!" Byron was confused. Even if Rhyperior's level was high, it shouldn't have been able to easily withstand the weight and force of Steelix's massive body.
"Roar!!"
Rhyperior roared, spread its arms wide, and allowed Steelix's Iron Tail to strike its body. Taking advantage of the impact, it grabbed the gaps in Steelix's tail and held on tightly.
"What! It actually caught it!"
"Steelix!"
Both Byron and Steelix were shocked; they hadn't expected Rhyperior to actually catch the attack.
"Good. Throw Steelix into the air," Gary ordered.
"Roar!!"
Heave—!
Rhyperior swung its arms and effortlessly lifted Steelix's body. Steelix tried to struggle, but it couldn't exert any force at all, and its body was swung freely by Rhyperior.
Rhyperior hurled Steelix into the air, throwing it to a height of more than ten meters. Gary ordered, "Finish Steelix with Drill Run."
Rhyperior began to spin rapidly, surrounded by hurricane-like Ground-type energy. Like a tornado, it rushed straight up into the sky.
"Steelix, attack with everything you've got! Take Down!" Byron shouted loudly.
"Steelix!"
Although Byron's Steelix didn't know Magnet Rise, it could still twist its body. It raised its head and crashed downward, launching a desperate Take Down.
Clang!!
A fierce collision occurred.
Steelix had no way to resist. Its attack failed, and it was blasted completely out of the battlefield by Rhyperior, smashing a massive crater into the wall.
Rhyperior landed back on the ground and looked at Steelix, who was trapped in the crater with its eyes already spinning.
"Steelix is unable to battle. Rhyperior wins!" the Gym assistant announced.
Byron looked at his defeated Steelix, silently took out its Poké Ball, and recalled it. His expression remained calm; he wasn't overly affected by his two consecutive defeats.
"It seems you must be a very strong Trainer from the Paldea region," Byron said.
Gary: ???
What? The Paldea region?
"Mr. Byron, I'm from Kanto, not Paldea," Gary reminded him.
"From Kanto...! Then why do you have a Cyclizar?" Byron asked in confusion.
"I visited the Paldea region before, and I bought the Cyclizar at a shop in Mesagoza," Gary said.
"So that's how it is. Then let's continue the battle. Now, I'm really going to take this seriously. Come on out, Bastiodon!" Byron threw his Poké Ball.
With a flash of light, a massive Bastiodon appeared, its face resembling a stone shield.
[Lv. 49 Bastiodon / Elite]
Its potential is very high, Gary thought to himself.
Gary hadn't expected Byron's Bastiodon to possess Elite-level potential. It seemed this Bastiodon hadn't been revived from a fossil very long ago; it was likely a Pokémon he had been raising over the past year or two.
"Rhyperior, use Drill Run!" Gary ordered.
Rhyperior spun rapidly, surrounded by Ground-type energy, and turned into a tornado-like drill as it rushed toward Bastiodon.
"Come on, Bastiodon! Block it with Iron Defense!" Byron held up his shovel and decided to take Drill Run head-on.
"Bastiodon!"
Bastiodon's face shield became coated in a layer of steel energy, increasing its physical defense.
Clang!!
Rhyperior collided directly with Bastiodon's face. Bastiodon was pushed back several meters, shattering a piece of rock before finally stabilizing its body, but it still managed to withstand Rhyperior's attack.